How It Feels To Be Treated As An Outcast
by Brockster550
Summary: An AU second year story where Harry meets Luna Lovegood shortly after the start of the Christmas Holidays. They realize how much they have in common, especially how they've dealt with being treated like outcasts. This allows them to befriend each other. What will become of Harry and Luna? Read the story to find out.


_Disclaimer: I just own this one-shot. The wonderful world of Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, no copyright intended!_

**Author's note: Another Harry/Luna one-shot. This story will take place during the Christmas Holidays in Harry's second year. Some implied Ron and Ginny bashing. Rated T.**

**How It Feels To Be Treated As An Outcast**

**Fanfic by Brockster550**

Harry Potter was one angry and paranoid twelve year old wizard in Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. He was sitting on a tree stump over by his favourite spot near the Black Lake. Harry also had a warming charm placed on himself, so he wouldn't freeze from the cold temperatures. The reason he was angry was because of the Dueling Club incident several days ago, where Professor Gilderoy 'Dunderhead' Lockhart tossed a snake into the air instead of properly getting rid of it. The snake had been conjured by Draco Malfoy, Harry's arch nemesis. Because of Lockhart's foolishness, the snake contemplated attacking Justin Finch-Fletchley, a Hufflepuff student in Harry's year. Then Harry spoke in parseltongue and convinced the snake into backing off. Then Professor Snape properly got rid of the snake (who Harry felt should've done it from the start, only for Lockhart on insisting on doing it himself). Once the snake was gone, Justin asked Harry what he was playing at. Normally, Harry understood being asked that because he knew Justin was frightened. But the majority of the student body just accused Harry of being the Heir of Slytherin instead of asking him for his side of the story.

During the few days before the Christmas Holidays started, Harry had been threatened with a number of hexes (most of them coming from the students in Hufflepuff). Even most of Gryffindor House accused Harry of threatening harm on a fellow student. Harry's supposed best friend, Ron Weasley and his sister, Ginny began distancing themselves from him. This didn't come as a surprise for Harry because Ron had irrational jealousy issues in regards to Harry's fame as the Boy-Who-Lived, even though Harry himself was jealous of Ron because he had a loving and caring family (something Harry always wanted for the longest time). Harry also knew that Ginny had a crush on him, but he suspected that it was because of his fame rather than for the person he was. Neither Ron nor Ginny paid any heed to the fact that Harry hated his fame since it constantly meant that he no longer had his parents. Despite being treated like an outcast, Harry still had some supporters. They were his fellow quidditch teammates (Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, Fred and George Weasley). Others who supported Harry included Hermione Granger (his real best friend), Neville Longbottom, Lee Jordan and Susan Bones (another Hufflepuff in Harry's year). Harry hadn't had any supporters in Ravenclaw that he knew of, but he never counted on anybody in Slytherin being on his side.

"Hello, Harry Potter!" said a dreamy voice coming from his left.

Harry jumped in surprise and turned to his left. He saw a girl with dirty-blonde hair, pale silvery eyes and paste-white skin. She also had what appeared to be radishes for earrings and a necklace made from corks of some sort.

"Hi." said Harry neutrally.

"Don't worry," assured the girl, her voice still dreamy sounding. "I'm not here to harass you or accuse you of what happened several days ago. I thought you'd like some company!"

Harry was taken aback by the revelation. A girl he hadn't met or seen before, offering him some company? Harry couldn't remember a student outside his own house openly expressing a desire to be around him until now, other than Susan Bones that was. Usually it was one of his fellow Gryffindor lions, but still Harry couldn't bring himself to decline the offer. After all, there was nothing wrong with unity between students in different houses and Harry wasn't one to discriminate.

"Thank you!" said Harry gratefully, scooting over to make room for the girl to sit.

She smiled at Harry as she sat down next to him. Harry couldn't help but smile back. There seemed to be something about the girl before him that made him smile. Harry just couldn't figure out what it was.

"I'm Luna Lovegood!" the girl properly introduced herself, holding a hand out at Harry.

"Harry Potter!" Harry responded as he shook hands with Luna. He knew saying his name was pointless, but at least he was being polite.

"Are you avoiding the students who keep giving you those accusations, Harry?" asked Luna.

"Yeah," said Harry with contempt directed at those who just made assumptions. "They won't even bother asking me for my side of the story. Now Ron and his sister, Ginny have been distancing themselves from me. It's like I'm worshipped one day and despised the next!"

"I believe you, Harry," said Luna, smiling at him again (making Harry smile back). "Those people have been letting the nargles get to them. Or maybe it was the crumple-horned snorkacks doing that."

Harry was confused by what Luna said was apparently causing the majority of the students' behaviour. But he decided not to make a big deal about it, figuring that Luna had her reasons for doing so. Maybe it was her way of sticking up for him and wanting to be a real friend of his.

"Thank you again!" said Harry gratefully.

"You're welcome, Harry!" said Luna, her voice still in that dreamy sound. Then her voice became a sad one. "I haven't really had any luck in finding friends, even though it's my first year here. My daddy works for the Quibbler tabloid as an editor for it. Since many think it's rubbish, they also label my dad as an idiot or any degrading name they can think of. Many of my fellow Ravenclaws just shun me, and some of them even steal my possessions and even rip up my homework."

"So you've been treated like an outcast, too?" asked Harry.

"Uh huh," said Luna sadly. "Despite all that, I've never reported that because I didn't wanna be seen as a tattletale."

Harry felt sympathy for Luna, as he remembered having been called or labelled a tattletale himself in primary school. Those were the moments when he reported Dudley and his gangs' bullying to a teacher willing to help. But somehow, Dudley and his gang always got off scot-free, while Harry himself got unjust punishment. The Dursleys were the main reason Harry was treated like an outcast because they'd make up all sort of lies about him. Harry reached out, grabbed one of Luna's hands and gave it a comforting squeeze. She looked up into Harry's eyes and smiled.

"Thank you for understanding, Harry!" said Luna gratefully.

"You're welcome, Luna," said Harry, smiling back. "I've been treated like an outcast before, thus allowing me to understand your situation far easier than most."

Luna showed more gratefulness by giving Harry a hug. Naturally, he flinched with the physical contact (since one of the punishments he often faced had been unrelenting beatings with a belt from Uncle Vernon), but Harry eventually hugged Luna back. Since the Christmas Holidays were already in session, this allowed the two some alone time without anyone bothering them. Harry also cast the warming charm on Luna, so she wouldn't freeze herself. As the warming charm continued keeping the area around Harry and Luna warm, the two looked out over the Black Lake. Maybe it could help them pass the time before the Christmas Feast. Harry found himself liking Luna and seeing how much potential they had for a good friendship. Harry also didn't care if anybody found out if he befriended Luna, since it was wrong to judge someone before getting to know them. He already dealt with being on the receiving end of that to last him a lifetime.

_The End!_


End file.
